Washing-machine.



No. 645,464. Patented Mar. l3, I900.

C. A. DODGE & W. J. ZUILL.

WASHING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 15, 1899.)

{No Model.)

WITNESSES: ZZJQJM 18mm mm NrrRD STATES PATENT FFicE.

oYRus A. DODGE AND WALTER J. ZUILL, or SYRACUSE, New YORK; sAID DODGEAssIeNo TO SAID ZUILL.

WASHING-MACHINE.

srEcI FIcA'rroN rormiil art of Letters PatentNo. 645,464, dated March13, 1906. Application filed May 15,1899. Serial No. 716,867. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CYRUS A. DODGE and WALTER J. ZUILL, of Syracuse, inthe county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Washing-Machines, of which the following, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, andexact description.

Ourinvention relates to washing-machines; and it consists in a newintegral supportingframe to be used with'a machine of the airpressureclass. Heretofore tubs have com-' monly been made of wood and the clampsand arms on which the operating mechanism is sustained set and fixed onthe tub at any desired point; but with theimprovement in metallicconstruction and decrease in cost galvanized-iron tubs have lately begunto come into use and have largely displaced those of wood. IVhile theyare cleaner and more durable, yet being lighter and thinner than thewooden tubs, some special means is necessary to support them and toreinforce the bottom and sides, so that the operating mechanism can besecured in position with sufficient stability for practical use, and atthe same time this supporting means should be so made that the wholemechanism can be moved easily from point to point when de sired ormaintain its position firmly when in use. To this end we have devised asimple and effective supporting-frame composed of three members or legsof channel iron or steel secured together by diagonal braces set on edgein contact with the bottom of the tub within the chime and connected bybolts through the chime to the legs. The upper portions of these legsare set closely against the outside of the tub, extending upwardly tothe reinforced upper margin of .the tub, and the lower or leg portionsare bent slightly outwardly the more firmly to support it.

It is evident that if the arm or frame supporting the washer wereclamped to the thin edge of the metal such a support would be unstableand the metal of the tub itself would be quickly bent and broken. Thisis overcome by our construction and a firm support afforded for theframe by means of apeculiar supporting-piece consisting of a pair ofintegral jaws with a space between them,

so as to span the reinforcing-wire and upper margin of the tub, andhaving an integral Vertical post to which the pounder-frame is rotatablyfitted. The outer of these jaws is made of such size as snugly to fitthegroove formed between the upper end of the channel-iron and the outersurface of the tub, and this supporting-standard is bolted in that po-'sition. To insure the stability of the tub when in use and permit itsbeing pushed from point to point when desired, we have fitted the legswith rollers peculiarly arranged, so that their axes or axles areconstantly re tained parallel to each other and in the same position. Byforming the axle-jaws respectively integral wit-h a flat plate or pieceadapted to fit within the lower end of the legs and arranged each atsuch an angle to its axle that the rollers are all maintained parallel,so that the force applied to the tub parallel to the axles moves iteasily from point. to point, but at right angles thereto, the tubremains stable, whereby convenience in operation of the washer andwringer is insured.

Our invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which the same reference-numerals indicate the same partsin all the figures.

Figure I is an isometric view'showing our peculiar supporting-frame withthe tub and the rotating washer-frame arranged in position thereon. Fig.II is a bottom plan view of said frame and tub. Fig. III is an enlargedview, partly in section, through the upper end of one of said legs,showing the standard and washer-supporting frame. Fig. IV is anelevation'of said standard detached. Fig. V is a reverse elevation ofthe preceding. Fig. VI is a section on line VI VI of Fig. III. Fig. VIIis an enlarged elevation of one of the rollers with its inclined plate.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the metallic tub; 2, the bottom thereof,preferably corrugated for the sake of stiffness; 8, the chime; 4, thelegs formed of channel steel or iron bolted to the tub, having theirlower portions slightly bent outwardly and their upper portions actingas braces to the side of the tub.

5 is the continuous triangular strap set on edge within the chime incontact with the bottom of the tub, having flattened points 6 6 arrangedadjacent to the legs and secured thereto by bolts 7 7, extending throughthe chime. By this construction the sides of this strap extenddiagonally along the tub-bottom, bracing and stiffening it, so as toundergo the operation of the washer without injury.

The legs extend upwardly to the upper margin of the tub, finished in theusual mannor by reinforcing-wire, over which the metal is turned. Astandard or supporting-piece having inner and outer jaws spans thisupper margin of the tub and is secured in position by bolts, with itsouter jaw fitting within the channeled upper end of one of the legs.This standard is an integral piece formed with the inner jaw 11, havingits outer face slightly convex to fit the inner surface of the tub andpreferably reinforced by rib 12, 13 being the outer jaw fitting snuglygroove 10 between the upper end of the channel-iron and the tub andseparated from the inner by grooved slot 14:, fitting the edge of thetub, 15 being the vertical post to which is fitted sleeve 16 any usualconstruction.

of supporting-arm 17, having integral post 18, on which is carried thewasher mechanism, of

The rollers rollerplates and jaws are differently formed for therespective legs, so that the rollers are all arranged and maintainedparallel, 20 being the roller fitted to rotate on axle 21, secured infixed position in jaws 22, integral with legplate 23, the angle betweenwhich and the jaws is varied to suit the leg to which it is to besecured, so that the axes will all be parallel, the enlarged roller andplate shown in Fig. VII being that fitted for the leg on the right.

Our supporting-frame, as here shown, is light, strong, and simple andparticularly adapted for its purpose of affording a stable support foroperating mechanism and thin metal tub now preferably used therewith.

Having. thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire toprotect by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture a washing-machine supportforsustaining the tub of thin metal and the pounder, having incombination three supportinglegs of channelsteel arranged with theirconcave sides in contact with theouter surface of the tub, extendingupwardly to about the upper edge of the tub and downwardly and outwardlybelow the tub, said legs being secured together about midway of theirlength by metallic bars extending diagonally across the bottom of thetub in contact therewith from one leg to the others, plates fitted inthe lower end of said legs on their concave sides, jaws integral witheach of said plates, said jaws being arranged at difierent angles totheir respective plates, so that the axes of the three pairs of jaws areparallel, and rollers journaled in said jaws, substantially as setforth.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a wash ing-machine support forsustaining the tub of thin metal and the pounder, having threesupporting-legs of channel-steel arranged each with its concave sideadjacent to the outer surface of the tub, said legs extending upwardlyand downwardly below the tub and being secured together about midway oftheir length by metallic bars set on edge, extending diagonally acrossthe bottom of the tub in contact therewith, and in combination therewith a single standard having an upwardlyextending post for the pounderand an integral downwardly-extending pair of jaws, the inner jaw of thepair fitting the inner surface of the tub and the outer fitting theouter sur face of the tub and arranged within the concave upper end ofone of said legs.

3. In combination in a washin -machine, a metallic tub, three legs ofchannel-iron ex* tending downwardly and slightly outwardly from thebottom of the tub forming a support therefor, and extending upwardlyalong the sides thereof, said legs having their concave faces arrangedadjacent to the tub, a continuous strap bent in a triangular form withflattened points set on edge inside of the chime of the tub with itspoints arranged adjacent .to the legs, and a single bolt through each ofsaid flattened ends, said leg and the portion of the chime arrangedtherebetween.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names. CYRUS A. DODGE.[L. s] WALTER J. ZUILL. [L. s.] WVitnesses:

H. M. SEAMANS, M. T. BROWNELL.

